EFFECT OF PINCHING AND PACLOBUTRAZOL ON GROWTH, FLOWERING AND POT PRESENTABILITY OF SOME SELECTED NATIVE ORNAMENTAL SHRUBS
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Date
2024-07-12
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UHF Nauni
Abstract
The present investigations entitled ‘Effect of pinching and paclobutrazol on growth, flowering and pot
presentability of some selected native ornamental shrubs’ was carried out at Floriculture Farm of Regional
Horticultural Research and Training Station, Dhaulakuan, District Sirmour, Himachal Pradesh for two consecutive
years; 2021-22 and 2022-23. The experiment was laid out on four native ornamental shrubs (Mussaenda frondosa,
Clerodendrum wallichii, Phlogacanthus pubinervius and Gendarussa vulgaris) in Completely Randomized Block
Design (Factorial) with three replications, consisting of three pinching levels (no-pinch, single pinching and double
pinching), two heading back treatments (no-head back and single heading back) and four paclobutrazol doses (0, 50,
100, 150 ppm, respectively). Findings revealed that 150 ppm paclobutrazol found to be the best concentration for the
native ornamental pot plant production in terms of plant height (57.06 and 92.67 cm), length of internode (5.50 and
5.10 cm), primary root length (38.27 and 67.05 cm), flowers per stem (68.08 and 89.40), pot presentability (65.75
and 73.17) and total protein content (7.82 and 12.11 mg/g) in both the years. Pinching treatment was done during the
first year (2021-22) and heading back treatments was done during the second year (2022-2023). The results indicates
that, double pinching and single heading back was found to be best for the native ornamental pot plant production in
terms of plant height (48.79 and 66.81 cm), length of internode (4.98 and 4.56 cm), primary root length (35.39 and
65.50 cm), flower per stem (70.97 and 92.12), pot presentability (68.83 and 76.50) and total protein content (8.46
and 12.17 mg/g). Among native ornamental shrubs, minimum plant height (51.11 and 78.88 cm), minimum length
of internode (5.24 and 4.77 cm) was noticed in Mussaenda frondosa, while maximum number of flowers per stem
(137.70 and 178.48), maximum number of flowers per plant (283.33 and 464.97) and maximum secondary roots per
plant (232.67 and 314.88) were recorded in Clerodendrum wallichii. Whereas, fresh weight of root (161.76 and
267.09 g), dry weight of roots (88.80 and 130.09 g), root/shoot ratio (1.20 and 1.11) was recorded maximum in
Phlogacanthus pubinervius. However, the first floret opening (271.53 and 296.69 days) was recorded in Gendarussa
vulgaris during the years 2021-22, 2022-23 respectively. Overall, double pinching and 150 ppm paclobutrazol
treatment was found to be the best for quality production of native ornamental pot plants.